The females are larger than the males, and have shorter
antennae. The beetle makes its appearance during the months of June and
July, usually remaining in concealment during the day, and becoming
active at dusk. The eggs are deposited late in June and during July,
one in a place, on the bark of the tree, near its base. Within two
weeks the young worms are hatched, and at once commence with their
sharp mandibles to gnaw their way through the outer bark to the
interior. It is generally conceded that the larvae are three years in
reaching maturity. The young ones lie for the first year in the
sapwood and the inner bark, excavating flat, shallow cavities, about
the size of a silver dollar, which are filled with their sawdust-like
castings. The holes by which they enter being small are soon filled
up, though not until a few grains of castings have fallen from them.
Their presence may, however, often be detected in young trees from the
bark becoming dark colored, and sometimes dry and dead enough to
crack."
On the approach of winter, it descends to the lower part of its
burrow, where it remains inactive until spring.
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